Wednesday, October 05, 2005

Born in 1987

I remember seeing the first of these lists - "Born in 1980". The most memorable item for me was this: For those born in 1980,
the Vietnam War is as ancient history to them as WWI and WWII or even the Civil War.


I just found out they originate from Beloit College in Wisconsin. Beloit says the list is a reminder that the world view of today's new college students is significantly different from the intellectual framework of those students who entered only a few years earlier. Here's the Born in 1987 list (this year's crop of freshmen). A few choice ones:

1. Andy Warhol, Liberace, Jackie Gleason, and Lee Marvin have always been dead.
4. Wayne Gretzky never played for Edmonton.
6. With little need to practice, most of them do not know how to tie a tie.
7. Pay-Per-View television has always been an option.
9. Iran and Iraq have never been at war with each other.
15. Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker have never preached on television.
16. Voice mail has always been available.
17. "Whatever" is not part of a question but an expression of sullen rebuke.
21. They have always had the right to burn the flag.
22. For daily caffeine emergencies, Starbucks has always been around the corner.
23. Ferdinand Marcos has never been in charge of the Philippines.
27. Southern fried chicken, prepared with a blend of 11 herbs and spices, has always been available in China.
28. Michael Jackson has always been bad, and greed has always been good.
29. The Starship Enterprise has always looked dated.
32. Judicial appointments routinely have been "Borked."
37. They have grown up in a single superpower world.
39. American Motors has never existed.
46. British Airways has always been privately owned.
53. They do not remember "a kinder and gentler nation."
54. They never saw the shuttle Challenger fly.
57. Black Americans have always been known as African-Americans.
60. Salman Rushdie has always been watching over his shoulder.
62. Tom Landry never coached the Cowboys.
66. They never saw a Howard Johnson's with 28 ice cream flavors.
67. Reindeer at Christmas have always distinguished between secular and religious decorations.

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